Great accomplishments...

Unified Basketball Inaugural Season in the Books!

Congratulations to the Unified Basketball Team on their amazing inaugural season. The unified basketball team is a combination of students with and without intellectual disabilities and consists of both boys and girls. Although our team only lost one game all season, we believe that this was a PERFECT season! It was wonderful to see the look of pride of the student-athletes', coaches', parents', and all of the fans' faces each game as they all cheered our players on.  We are looking forward to next season, as well as eventually creating a Unified Bowling Team. 

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Top 100 Ceremony

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Our Top 100 Ceremony held in the PVM auditorium showcased the top 25 students (academically) in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Seniors are illustrated to the left.  This was a great celebration of the students' accomplishments and the support their parents, guardians, and friends provided them throughout their time at PVM, and over the course of middle school and elementary school.  There were numerous students that were on the cusp of being in the Top 100 that also put a tremendous amount of work, time and energy, and we want to thank them and their parents as well.  There are also students that gave all they had to earn a 75 average through a tremendous amount of hard work as well, and those students should also be congratulated for putting forth their best effort.  We can only ask all students to do their very best, and if doing their very best landed them in the Top 100 then we need to celebrate that, and if it landed them below that distinction, they too should be congratulated.  It was wonderful seeing the look of pride on the parents' faces at this event.                                                         

Wednesday May 23rd Community Safety Forum AND the End of Year Schedule

Our second Community Forum on the Safety and Security of our Schools will be held on Wednesday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the  PVM High School Cafeteria.  We are very excited to have the Oswego County District Attorney, Greg Oakes, speak as he leads the Oswego County School Safety Task Force, which I am a member of.  Mr. Oakes has presented to high school students at several school districts regarding school safety, including PVM High School multiple times this year. Besides all the experience he has amassed through his role as the Oswego County District Attorney, he also has the perspective of being a school board member as he was a board member at APW not long ago.  He is also a father of school age children, so clearly he has a vested interest in helping all schools be as safe as they can be.  

Another person that will be speaking at Wednesday's Safety and Security Forum (open to all) is a leading expert in the field of mass shootings, Professor at SUNY Oswego, Jaclyn Schildkraut, PhD. I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Schildkraut present at one of the Oswego County School Safety Task Force meetings and I am thrilled that she is available to present at our forum. Click on the following link to see more information on Dr. Schildkraut:  http://www.jaclynschildkraut.com/index.html

At this Safety Forum, we are also delighted to introduce our first Special Patrol Officer that we, in partnership with the Central Square Village, have recently hired, Officer Jamey Locastro. Attendees will see that Officer Locastro possesses the skill sets and experience that we were looking for when we decided to hire officers to be in our schools. 

We will also have a representative from the American Red Cross, Mr. Michael Hasenbalg, who will present an outline of the Red Cross Certification training, as this was a suggestion that came out of our first Community Forum on Safety and Security back on March 19, 2018. 

The District has been in talks with Armoured One, as we feel that they are one of the best companies in the field of school safety, and it is a bonus that the service they can provide us is on the BOCES Coser list, which makes it very affordable, as well. We are looking to have them run safety drills for us as well as provide us with a fully comprehensive analyses on all of our schools and facilities, so we can make informed and data-driven decisions on areas that can be improved upon District-wide.  A representative from Armoured One will be at this Community Safety Forum. For more on this highly reputable company specializing in school safety, view the following link: https://armouredone.com/. To see them conduct an active shooter drill (will staff only) at Baldwinsville High School, view the following link: 
http://www.syracuse.com/schools/index.ssf/2018/03/sound_of_gunfire_inside_central_ny_school_helps_to_train_teachers_staff.html.

We will also look at all of the suggestions that attendees provided us from the March 19 Safety Forum and we will provide an update on what we have done since that meeting regarding our continuous effort to provide our students and staff with the safest learning environment that we can. View the following link to see Central Square being recognized for taking action in our effort for continuous improvement of our safety and security for our students, staff, and visitors: 
http://cnycentral.com/news/local/school-leaders-learning-from-tragedies, and http://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/safety-app-allows-school-staff-to-report-threats-emergencies/1085312883
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End of Year Schedule 

For our end of the year schedule, please click on the following link:https://tinyurl.com/End-of-year-schedule-2018 

Great things happening at Central Square in May...

               Unified Basketball at Central Square

The gym was packed to cheer on the first home unified basketball game held on Thursday, May 3. It was truly amazing to see our student athletes and Oswego's student athletes compete and showcase what sports are all about.  This hard fought competition was won by the Redhawks, but both teams showed such class and sportsmanship throughout this very special event.  Inclusive Sports: combines athletes (players with intellectual disabilities) and athletes (players without intellectual disabilities) to create athletic teams for training and competition. Participation is rooted in the principle of meaningful involvement which ensures that every player is given an opportunity to contribute to the success of his or her team through their unique skills. Inclusive activity is among the most conducive ways to breakdown stereotypes and foster relationships. It was one of the most meaningful events I have attended during my 21 years working in education. For more on Unified Sports, click on the following link: http://www.nysphsaa.org/Sports/Unified-Sports 

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Big Brothers/Big Sisters 

Senior, Tyler Young, was named High School Big Brother of the Year, and we are so proud. We have several students at Central Square that volunteer for this meaningful organization. Being an "engaged and contributing citizen" are among the Attributes of a Central Square Learner and Tyler and our other student volunteers absolutely possess these key traits. Mrs. O'Mara does a wonderful job organizing all of these student leadership opportunities. To see Mrs. O'Mara present this great award to Tyler Young, click on the following link: https://youtu.be/tq9oz1d5OW8
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May 8 is National Teacher Appreciation Day

This is National Teacher Appreciation Day, and we would like to take a moment to thank all of our amazing teachers and support staff. The work that goes into making such meaningful learning opportunities for our students is tremendous, yet our teachers and support staff do it on a daily basis because they treat their students as if they were their own children.

We are delighted with the high level of continuous support and encouragement that our staff bestows on our students, which is not only present in their classrooms but also in the athletic arenas, at concerts, plays, school clubs/activities, and other opportunities to show our students how much our staff cares about them. The Central Square community has a rich history of supporting the students and their families, which makes Central Square so special.


Please join me in wishing all of our teachers and support staff a wonderful day, and on behalf of the entire District and Board of Education, we personally thank them for truly making a difference in a child’s life.

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SKILLS USA WINNERS

A huge congratulations to all of our PVM students that competed in this year's Skills USA competition held at the NYS Fairgrounds. Mitchell Kaylor 3rd place in power equipment, Darian Warren 2nd place in culinary arts, Miranda Hoyt 3rd place in Medical Math, and Mackenzie Maxwell 2nd place in Health Occupation. These students possess many of the Attributes of a Central Square Learner and had the opportunity to showcase them at 

this reputable event, making 

Central Square so very proud. 

For more on Skills USA, 

click on the following link: https://www.skillsusa.org/

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School Budget/BOE Election Vote May 15

Polls open at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 15 and close at 9 p.m. If you are wondering where you vote, please click on the following link: http://www.ntsdata.net/centrasd/pollingplacelookup.aspx

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Fort Brewerton/Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce

Citizenship Incentive Award Program

Monthly awards are given to Paul V. Moore High School and Central Square Middle School students who do not have a discipline referral for each month.  This is a great way to recognize good citizenship in our students, which is a big part of the District’s mission. Our April winners are Evan Emond and Kaileigh Barker (PVM High), and Drucilla Biela and Troy Richmond (from CSMS) . We are very proud of you! They each received fantastic gift certificates from businesses belonging to the Fort Brewerton/Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of  Commerce.

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Our Mock Trial Team Wins Championship!!!

Redhawks Victorious at Mock Trial Championships

It was a courtroom drama and fight to the finish all the way at this year’s Oswego County Mock Trial championships as teams from Mexico and Central Square considered the following case: Law enforcement officers take a high school student into custody following a “violent” bullying incident involving another student and a teacher. Or did a hapless student fall victim to an insidious “conspiracy” between teachers and school administration to railroad the young woman into trumped up charges? Mock Trail pits two opposing teams of students, acting as defense and prosecution counsel, in direct competition on a case given to both teams. Teams receive information on the case, defendant, witnesses and law enforcement documents to inform their strategy. Mock Trial teams are judged on their oral performance, professional conduct and decorum to opposing counsel, persuasiveness and knowledge of the case facts.

In the end, acting judge Karen Khanzadian of the DePerno & Khanzadian, PC, found in favor of the Central Square team, but all students left the competition with a greater understanding and respect for the criminal justice system. “It’s a hands-on experience that forces students to work together as a team,” said Oswego County Assistant District Attorney Michael McAndrew, who served as the attorney advisor to the Mexico team. “Reading and being able to apply information, public speaking, teamwork - no matter what they decide to do after college, they’re learning skills to help with that.”

April Updates...

College and Career Readiness Committee

At the April 17 CCRC meeting, we reviewed the "Attributes of a Central Square Learner" that were created by this committee during previous meetings, which can be seen by clicking the following link:
https://tinyurl.com/Attributes-of-a-CS-Learner


To view the PowerPoint from the meeting, click on the following link: 
https://tinyurl.com/CCRC-PowerPoint-4-17-18 
In a previous meeting, the committee focused on what has been traditionally viewed by most school districts as the main pathway for students, which is the college and university pathway. We had an amazing Central Square graduate, now a student at the prestigious Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, Camryn Lawyea, speak of the wonderful, rigorous courses she took at PVM High School, as well as the meaningful clubs and activities she participated in such as DECA, Student Government, Student Leadership Task Force, and our nationally recognized Rifle Team, to name a few.  She described how the courses she took and the clubs/activities she participated in while at PVM, prepared her for the rigors of attending college. It really speaks volumes that she is on our College and Career Readiness Committee during her freshman year of college.

At this past meeting, as you can see from the PowerPoint link above, after reviewing the "Attributes of a Central Square Learner," we focused on an equally rewarding pathway, Career and Technical Education.  Similar to how we showcased the college/university pathway, we had a wonderfully experienced Central Square parent/employee at PVM High School, Ms. Linda Fuller, who has had three children at Central Square that have attended CiTi BOCES, with her youngest son currently in the P-Tech program.  Click here for more information on the P-Tech program: https://www.citiboces.org/ptech.  

We also had an outstanding BOCES student, Miranda Hoyt, speak of the courses she took at CiTi BOCES that have prepared her for a nursing career. She also shared many wonderful experiences she had while attending PVM that also prepared her for such a meaningful career. Our next College and Career Readiness Committee (meeting again on May 17 at 5:30pm-7pm) will focus on the military pathway, as this is yet another choice that our students have. We continue to be delighted by the large number of committee members that attend these meetings and share such valuable experiences with the group, experiences that ALL students will benefit from. The following link with bring you to a wonderful article written by Debbie Grooms from the Citizen Outlet: http://www.oswegonews.com/osw/central-square-school-committee-seeks-better-communicators-and-thinkers-in-its-graduates-20180427&template=mwdt

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          Student presenting to the Chamber of Commerce                

                   

Tristin Rice presented to the Fort Brewerton Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce on April 18, 2018, on the achievements of our DECA chapter at PVM High School. He wanted to personally thank the Chamber members for their much appreciated donations they made to DECA that the students greatly benefited from. Tristin also shared that the skill sets and experiences he received as a member of DECA at PVM prepared him for his future, which will lead him to Stanford University, as he has been accepted to this very prestigious university to study physics. The Chamber members continue to be impressed by the students at Central Square and they are so very proud of them, as we all are!!!!

School Safety

Safety and Security Community Forum (March 19)

On March 19, we had approximately 200 community members, parents, school staff, local police/firefighters/EMTs, and other first responders, take part in sharing concerns, feedback, and suggestions regarding the safety and security of our schools. We started by having all participants sit at one of the 24 tables spread around the large PVM cafeteria.  We had an administrator seated at each table with a device so he/she could document all of the safety concerns/feedback that was shared at each table. Each table had a specific tab within the Google document allowing us the opportunity to know all concerns and suggestions in one very comprehensive document.  

We had a local police officer with many years of law enforcement experience as well as running the school security for a large school district in Onondaga County.  This individual played a key role in helping a neighboring school district and their local police department utilize the position of Special Patrol Officer, which is exactly what our District will be doing.  We are looking at obtaining three Special Patrol Officers to start, and even though they will be affiliated with the Central Square Village Police Department, they can still do everything as they would within the jurisdiction of the village, except the booking of arrests, which would be handed over to the local police department for that area. We are very excited to have these trained law enforcement professionals in our schools, not just for the added security measure, but also to provide professional development on school safety for our staff on an ongoing basis. These officers will be in our schools 100% of their time and will not be called anywhere else by the Village Police Department. 

We also had a local fire chief from a neighboring town who also happens to be a Central Square parent speak to the packed room of participants.  He spoke from a medical perspective and opportunities for the students to be able to learn emergency techniques, similar to the Stop The Bleed program held at Upstate Hospital. Although he is not affiliated with this program, he was able to discuss its main focus. If you are interested in learning more about this program at Upstate Medical University, click on the following link: http://www.upstate.edu/surgery/healthcare/trauma/stop-the-bleed.php  .
He also spoke about other things that our District needs to be aware of in case of an emergency, all of which were very well received. 

We will soon invite all the participants that attended the March 19 community forum to a follow up meeting where we can share with the group all of the feedback that was shared that day, since there were 24 tables full of people contributing. 

Our District will be purchasing NaviGate Prepared through BOCES which allows it to be both extremely affordable for the District through the BOCES Coser, and consistent for the many police and fire departments in our region that will benefit from having many school districts using this technology tool. The NaviGate app does many things such as maintaining all current safety plans and drill procedures, as well as a 360' view of every room in each of our schools, which will come in very handy for police and firefighters when responding to a crisis situation. The best part about this technology is that it will allow any staff member to initiate a lock down if the situation should ever present itself.  This is a huge step towards empowering our staff to take action when one of them sees a potential danger, instead of relying on the building principal or main office secretary that might be in a different part of the school.  For more on NaviGate Prepared, click on the following website: https://tinyurl.com/NaviGate-Prepared  

Channel 9 recently mentioned this and you can click on the following link to view it: http://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/safety-app-allows-school-staff-to-report-threats-emergencies/1085312883 

March 14 Update...

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am aware that social media sites are buzzing with parents and community members sharing their feelings and opinions regarding how the District addressed the "National Walk-Out" that was heavily discussed and posted on social media sites and news outlets across the country. I am reluctant to respond in those forums because I never want people to think that I do not value their opinions and their right to have an opinion, because I absolutely do. With that said, I just wanted to provide additional details (that were included in the staff letter but excluded from the parent/guardian letter) now that the planned event is over and any details I share will not endanger our students and staff by sharing the locations of the brief student led activity that took place. Students were in the hallways in different locations at both CSMS and PVM High School from 9:55 a.m. to 10:12 a.m., which was a total of 17 minutes.  The student leadership felt that the 17 minutes was a symbolic gesture for the 17 students and faculty that lost their lives at Parkland, Florida.

First, I want to be very clear, the District did not support or endorse any political movement, we simply provided an opportunity for students to do something positive with their peers for 17 minutes. These students were engaged in an activity led by their peer leaders on the Student Leadership Task Force, where students got to know their peers a little better in a creative way.  This was student driven and well received by the many students that participated.  The 17 minute activity was completely optional, as those that did not want to participate were able to complete their homework, read a book, or just relax for the 17 minutes in a supervised setting.  No student at the high school or the middle school decided to leave their school.  We were prepared if students left their school to peacefully congregate outside of our schools (but still on school grounds) and designated school administrators were prepared to accompany any student that felt the need to do this, as the safety of all students is our top priority.

We planned this 17 minute student led activity inside our middle school and high school because we did not want students leaving our schools and congregating in a large group, since this was announced throughout the country that it would take place at 10 a.m. on March 14 for 17 minutes. This potentially could have made our students a target for someone that could harm them knowing several students would be outside at the same time.  It sickens me that I have to think that way, but unfortunately, there are people in society that do horrific things. At no time was the 2nd Amendment discussed, nor were any other political beliefs discussed, as that was not what the 17 minutes were about today. As always, if you have any questions for me, my office phone number is (315) 668-4220, or my work cell phone number which is (315) 314-1432. Do not hesitate to contact me, as I value your feedback, suggestions, and healthy dialogue regarding any concerns you may have. If your inquires pertain to specific situations in your child's school, I suggest giving the teacher and principal an opportunity to respond first, but I am always available to speak with. As another reminder, please join us at our community forum focused on safety and security, held on March 19, at 6 PM in the PVM High School Cafeteria.

Thank you for your time,

Thomas J Colabufo
Superintendent

Spotlight on HME and the New Chamber Incentive Program...

These amazing students presented at our March 12, 2018 Board of Education Meeting held at Hastings-Mallory Elementary School where they showcased their use of technology, specifically Chromebooks, as a key research tool that can be utilized in all classes.  We are so proud of our dedicated staff and exceptional students that come to school everyday eager to learn and grow.

Fort Brewerton/Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of Commerce

Citizenship Incentive Award Program

Monthly awards are given to Paul V. Moore High School and Central Square Middle School students who do not have a discipline referral for each month.  This is a great way to recognize good citizenship in our students, which is a big part of the District’s mission.

Our March winners are (PVM High) Maegan Dean and Nicolas Stevens, and (from CSMS) Angilee Haberer and Karter Stark. We are very proud of you! They each received fantastic gift certificates from businesses belonging to the Fort Brewerton/Greater Oneida Lake Chamber of  Commerce.

A lot happening at Central Square to be proud of...

Students around the District recently celebrated the first "100 Days" of school in style as many of their teachers dressed for the event.  Mrs. Morgan (above) at Millard Hawk Elementary got into the spirit and her students absolutely loved it! These teachers understand the need to inject humor and fun into the learning and that is why our school culture is so strong and student friendly at Central Square.

Our boys basketball team played hard (above) at their playoff game at the SRC Arena at OCC this past Sunday, falling to the Nottingham Bulldogs.  The boys fought hard until the final whistle, capping off a season to remember being ranked for much of the season.  Win or lose, I was amazed all year by the level of sportsmanship and class that these young men displayed game after game, as they helped opponents off the floor and shook off "possible" bad calls from the referees, never complaining, only giving it their all. You cannot congratulate the team without congratulating and thanking the greatest student section in America, The Flock, seen standing in a flock behind the basket.  Flock member and star football player, Jaime Battaglia poses with one of the youngest Flock members at Sunday's game, my son, Tommy.

Congratulations to the Central Square Junior Varsity and Varsity Winter Guards for the placing 1st place at their last event held at ESM this past Saturday. These students put so much into each competition, but that is nothing compared to the long hours of practice leading up to each event.  This level of motivation, dedication, and teamwork is truly remarkable.  Our Winter Guard is actually ranked 19th in the Country, yes, in the Country! (according to Winter Guard International) Make sure you get out to see them compete, you will not be disappointed. We are hosting the Winter Guard Home Show March 10 at PVM High School.  We hope to see you there, but you better get there early because we are expecting another full house. http://www.oswegonews.com/osw/winter-guard-home-show-march-10-20180227

"Spirit Fridays" are a regular on the menu at the R Diner as the ladies sport their maroon and white to support the District.  This is part of a continued effort by the Superintendent Parent Council, led by Mrs. Stringer, to partner with the local businesses to support the amazing students across or District. This is the type of support that makes our community so special and unique. These are great people!!!

"Central Square open house, orientation draw crowds." We were delighted by the turnout as students and parents had the opportunity to explore multiple pathways and career exploration. http://www.oswegonews.com/osw/central-square-open-house-orientation-draw-crowds-20180223
This aligned perfectly to the work our College and Career Readiness Committee has been doing.  
http://www.oswegonews.com/osw/cssd-asks-what-are-the-attributes-of-a-central-square-graduate-20180227 
If you would still like to join this committee, please click on the following link and complete and submit the following brief form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Qklq6vms1UZW1B41TbWOneriGe74qIf60Ue3U9Y57Zw/edit 
The remaining meeting dates and times for the 2017-2018 school year are as follows: April 17 from 4:15-6:00 p.m., May 17 from 5:30-7:00 p.m., and June 12 from 4:15:6:00 p.m.

Our new sign located on Route 11 in the Village finally arrived and we are getting a lot of positive feedback from community members. Mayor, Ken Sherman, has done a lot to spruce up the Village and this sign is a welcome addition. 

February 12 College and Career Readiness Committee Meeting

College and Career Readiness Committee Member and 2017 PVM Graduate, Camryn Lawyea, sharing her experiences at PVM and the pathway she chose that has led her to Syracuse University's prestigious Whitman's School of Management. She shared the courses at PVM that prepared her for college as well as the courses she wished she had taken, which was excellent for students in the room that share her pathway to hear.  The group reviewed the identified attributes selected at the first College and Career Readiness Committee back in December, and they provided additional feedback so we can finalize the list.

The committee of students, staff, parents, local business leaders, and community members did a wonderful job providing us with detailed feedback regarding the attributes of a Central Square graduate.  Although the group has provided us with things we can (and will) change regarding the originally identified group of attributes, the overall consensus was that the group really liked the identified attributes. The finalized attributes of a Central Square graduate will be posted and hung in every PreK-12 classroom across the District. We fully understand that unless we actually plan opportunities to provide students with opportunities to effectively communicate, problem solve, collaborate, etc., then these attributes will not be worth the paper they are posted on.  These attributes must be systematic across the District so we have a highly reliable organization.

A Lot of Great Things Happening...

Our first College and Career Readiness Committee meeting was a huge success, as we had over 100 members consisting of students, parents, staff, community members, local and neighboring business owners/workers, local college/university admissions officers, and more, collaborating for the two hours. At the end of the two hours, the group identified MANY potential attributes of a Central Square graduate, seen in the Wordle above. If you are not familiar with Wordles, the words that are larger were the most frequently identified words from the entire group.  Just looking at that will give you an idea of the attributes that the group of over 100 members felt were very important for students to possess upon graduation, no matter which pathway the students should decide to take. The evening was well organized with committee members seated at 13 tables with a facilitator at each table recording all of the attributes identified by the group. We had 3 rotations where each member went to a preassigned table with completely different table members and repeated the process.  The dialogue was very meaningful, especially from the students that were located at every table.

So Then What???
Central Square Board member, Steven Patch, led our entire administrative team through an activity yesterday (Tuesday, January 9) where the entire administrative team had to categorize ALL of the attributes that the committee of 100 had identified at the original College

and Career Readiness Committee back on December 6, but we had to do it in complete silence.  If you know our group, you would know that doing anything in silence is extremely difficult for us (lol), but we accomplished it and after 90 minutes, Mr. Patch, led us in

some amazing conversations about the attributes and how they are interconnected. Here are some pictures and a video capturing the collaborative work being done. The following link is a quick look at our administrative team hard at work (silently as we were not allowed to speak during this

part of the process) 
https://tinyurl.com/Admin-Attribute-Activity 







What Now....

Our next College & Career Readiness Committee meeting will be held on February 12 from 5:30 pm-7 pm, and the College & Career Planning Committee will present to the large committee the results from the first meeting, which puts us closer to identifying what the attributes will be that we will look to provide all Central Square graduates.  Once they are narrowed down an agreed upon, the committee will discuss ways to incorporate those key attributes into our Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade program.


Talent And Dedication Are Always On Display At PVM High
The following link illustrates just a few examples why Paul V Moore High School is a special place, a place where students are encouraged to showcase their talents and selflessness.  We have so much talent at Central Square!!! https://youtu.be/oHvYas61Uuc